Health service bureaucracy has gone too far says head of Hong Kong’s oldest medical school, as he questions whether red tape is doing anything to help patients
- Professor Gabriel Leung criticises Hospital Authority for number of meetings being held by doctors and nurses
- But authority chairman hits back and says they are necessary to discuss urgent issues
The head of Hong Kong’s oldest medical school has said the Hospital Authority is too bureaucratic and questioned whether extra meetings truly benefit patients.
In a rare display of public disagreement, Professor Gabriel Leung, dean of the University of Hong Kong’s faculty of medicine and a former undersecretary for food and health, criticised health bosses for the amount of red tape in the sector.
Leung made his comments on Monday as doctors and nurses lamented their heavy workload during flu season, a time of year when they treat more patients while also dealing with the administrative demands of their jobs.
“The bureaucracy seems to be going a bit too far,” Leung said. “Should the amount of time spent on meetings, paperwork, administration or governance be reduced? The Hospital Authority should really think about it.”
The authority manages the city’s 43 public hospitals and institutions, which provide about 90 per cent of inpatient care.
Leung said constant meetings and discussions on the same issue could reduce the chances of doctors and nurses making mistakes but could also result in a bloated structure.